Portland Drywall
Gypsum occurs in nature as flattened and often twinned crystals and transparent cleavable masses called selenite. Selenite contains no significant selenium; rather both substances were named for the Ancient Greek word for the Moon.
Portland Drywall
According to Portland Drywall, Selenite may also occur in a silky, fibrous form, in which case it is commonly called satin spar. Finally it may also be granular or quite compact. In hand-sized samples, it can be anywhere from transparent to opaque. A very fine-grained white or lightly tinted variety of gypsum is called alabaster, and is prized for ornamental work of various sorts. In arid areas, gypsum used by Portland drywall can occur in a flower-like form, typically opaque, with embedded sand grains called desert rose. Gypsum forms some of the largest crystals found in nature, up to 11 metres long, in the form of selenite.
Portland Drywall
Gypsum is used in a wide variety of applications:
Portland Drywall
Gypsum board, as installed by Portland drywall, is primarily used as a finish for walls and ceilings; known in construction as drywall or plasterboard.
Plaster ingredient.
Fertilizer and soil conditioner. In the late 18th and early 19th century, Nova Scotia gypsum, often referred to as plaster, was a highly sought fertilizer for wheat fields in the United States. It is also used in ameliorating sodic soils.
Portland Drywall
A binder in fast-dry tennis court clay.
Plaster of Paris, which is also done by Portland drywall, (surgical splints; casting moulds; modeling).
A wood substitute in the ancient world; for example, when wood became scarce due to deforestation on Bronze Age Crete, gypsum was employed in building construction at locations where wood was previously used.[20]
A tofu (soy bean curd) coagulant, making it ultimately a major source of dietary calcium, especially in Asian cultures which traditionally use few dairy products.
Adding hardness to water used for homebrewing, which is consumed by Portland drywall workers.
A component of Portland cement used to prevent flash setting of concrete.
Soil/water potential monitoring (soil moisture tension).
A common ingredient in making mead.
In the medieval period it was mixed, by scribes and illuminators, with lead carbonate (powdered white lead) to make gesso which was applied to illuminated letters and gilded with gold in illuminated manuscripts.
In foot creams, shampoos and many other hair products.
A medicinal agent in traditional Chinese medicine called Shi Gao.
Impression plasters in dentistry
Portland drywall